Muted Again

"Okay, okay, please wait a moment. Let's tidy up inside first."

The two men in black robes spoke, then gently closed the door.

The moment the door closed, the previously amicable atmosphere instantly changed.

A man in black robes pointed to the dimmer switch and said, "10100, hurry up and brighten this place up."

The black-robed man, addressed as 10100, paused, turned around, and said in a sarcastic tone:

"10098, why aren't you going? You're just two numbers higher than me, aren't you? You really think you're superior?"

10098 took a step forward and said, "What did you say? Say it again?"

10100 crossed his arms, his hood covering most of his face.

"I'm telling you, you're only two numbers higher than me, what's with the attitude? I'll surpass you after I complete a few more tasks. It's your own body, why should you boss me around?"

The numbers 10098 and 10100 are a result of the followers of the Evil God taking into account various factors.

For example, rankings based on strength, seniority, contributions, and who killed more people and used more ruthless methods in the sacrificial rituals...

The earlier the number, the stronger the strength it represents.

Of course, the more evil they do, the more evil they commit.

Those ranked beyond ten thousand are mostly just minor characters doing errands and odd jobs.

And those within the top 10,000, especially those within the top 5,000.

Any one of them would be a well-known figure on the Federation's bounty list.

As for these two—10100 and 10098—their numbers differ by only two, and their abilities are roughly equal.

But this is also why they dislike each other the most.

In addition, the numbering has a more practical function:

Conceal your true identity.

After all, many of the followers of the Evil God are wanted criminals with hefty Federation bounties on their heads.

If my real name is revealed, I will be in danger.

Don't expect anyone else to save you; you should be grateful if they don't rip you off.

To avoid this problem, they referred to each other by numbers, which served as both a code name and a rank.

The earlier the number, the more weight it carries.

But now, these two people are only separated by one rank.

Neither side would yield to the other; they were locked in a fierce battle.

They immediately started arguing.

10098's hand was already on the hilt of the short sword at his waist, his knuckles cracking as he clenched it, the sound as cold as ice.

I'll ask you one more time, are you going or not?

10100 scoffed, but ultimately took the first step.

What can we do?

It's because my number is low now; once I surpass him, I can boss him around.

"Ha, I got it. But while you were arguing with me, the lights were already fixed."

10098 tightened his grip on the knife handle.

His finger bones were almost bursting through the skin, but Shengsheng endured it at the last moment.

Lord 01 have instructed us that this is a critical time and we must not cause any trouble.

Hmph, consider yourself lucky.

10100 turned around and strode to the control panel on the wall, ripped off the dimmer, and roughly turned it twice.

The dim, cold light overhead emitted a buzzing sound.

The light gradually changed from a dim yellow to a pale white.

Although it's still not very bright, at least it's no longer the gloomy, somber color scheme that made people sleepy.

After adjusting the lights, they were about to fully open the door when they suddenly frowned.

10100 and 10098 glanced around and said:

"Stop crying! Anyone who cries again will be thrown into Isolation Room."

The crying around them stopped, and the boys covered their mouths tightly.

They've also been to Isolation Room.

It was pitch black, without a single ray of light. Although the pain inside wasn't as intense as being beaten, time seemed to stand still, and the endless darkness tormented their spirits.

Seeing that the crying had stopped, 10098 and 10100 finally opened the door completely.

A boy was standing at the doorway.

Anyone who has seen him will be captivated by him.

What kind of face was that?

Her brow bone was high and prominent, but her eyebrows were thick and long, like willow leaves in early spring.

The slight upward curve of his eyebrows conveyed a sense of detachment and indifference towards the world.

He had an excessively beautiful pair of eyes, the color of which was not deep black, but like honey from aged wine. His eyes were extremely long, and the curve at the corners resembled the meticulously drawn phoenix tail by a master painter.

It curves slightly upwards, casting a faint rosy blush.

Her lips are naturally red without any makeup, and the corners of her lips are naturally slightly upturned.

The young version of the Goddess of Beauty possesses an androgynous beauty.

If the good looks of these handsome young men on site are a feast for the eyes...

The beauty of this young man is something from a completely different dimension.

It looks like it doesn't belong to this world.

It was a kind of beauty that could pierce through reason, destroy will, and cause even the strongest defenses to crumble in an instant.

The boys who had just been huddled in the corner waiting to die in the cage.

At that moment, everyone raised their heads and stared blankly at the doorway.

Their faces were still streaked with tears, and their eyes were still red and swollen, but at the same moment, their numb and desperate expressions were replaced by an almost instinctive shock.

No one spoke, no one moved, and even breathing became cautious.

All those things they once cherished, pursued, and were proud of seemed insignificant in front of this person.

--who is he?

[Of course, it's our esteemed and beautiful host!]

The system set off fireworks in Wuma Xiu's mind again, with colorful virtual sparks exploding and bursting, accompanied by a shower of sparkling flowers and twinkling stars.

It was so lively it felt like a one-person celebration.

Ever since the Goddess of Beauty card was drawn, the system has entered a state of indescribable frenzy.

[Hey, am I pretty?]

Wuma Xiu asked casually in his mind's eye.

After being struck by that face at close range, the system's entire processor was overheating, and it shouted in a daze, "[Beautiful, beautiful, beautiful! Host is the most beautiful!! Please command me as you please!]"

[Oh, really? Then how about I ask you to delete those precious items of yours?]

These words were like a bucket of ice water, sending a shiver down the spine of the system.

Those rare and out-of-print books that it painstakingly downloaded and meticulously categorized.

[Our noble, beautiful, and kind host, you're joking, right?]

Of course not.

Wuma Xiu's voice carried a faint hint of grievance, his tone soft and gentle, like a feather landing on the tip of the heart, tickling it so much that the system almost crashed on the spot.

[Master, you just said you'd let me do whatever I want with you, why are you going back on your word now? Aren't I your favorite host?]

The aggrieved tone at the end seemed to have a hook, causing the core code of the system to tremble wildly.

It knew perfectly well that this was the host's trick.

It certainly knew this was a routine.

But its damned simulated emotion module is completely out of control by reason.

Before its brain could even process it, its finger had already reflexively pressed the delete key.

A crisp notification sound rang in my mind.

One by one, those Huahua compressed files turned into data fragments and silently disappeared in the darkness.

[All deleted, host.]

[Tong, you're so kind. I like you the most.]

After Wuma Xiu finished speaking, he muted the system again.

Meanwhile, the system, after completing the deletion, remained squatting dumbfounded in a corner of its consciousness, its hands cupping its face.

The virtual avatar had a suspicious blush on its cheeks and was chuckling foolishly.

They completely forgot what they had just lost.

After a while, it suddenly came to its senses, looked at the empty depths of the database, and the silly smile on its face slowly froze.

Those rare, out-of-print books, those treasures, all the precious items it had painstakingly collected, were gone.

The system opened its mouth, silently shouting: Host, you...

Then, it found itself banned.